The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) urges member states to support the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine so as to avoid its freezing.

"The assembly urges Council of Europe member states to do everything in their power to support the peace process in Ukraine so as to avoid a further escalation of violence, with dangerous consequences for civilians living in the conflict area, or the development into a 'frozen' or 'semi-frozen' conflict, prolonging instability and insecurity in Ukraine and the whole of Europe," the resolution states.

PACE also stresses that local elections in the Donbas require an improved security environment, full access for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission throughout the entire territory of the Donbas, with the border sealed and controlled by the Special Monitoring Mission following the complete withdrawal of Russian troops, mercenaries and weapons, and safe storage of weapons under international supervision.

The possibility for all Ukrainian parties to participate in the elections and for Ukrainian media to broadcast in the Donbas during the campaign comes as another indispensable condition.